Tomboy Trouble
by Skye Silverwing
Summary: A little story about what can happen when fates move differently. Who says only Ranma is allowed to take over the part of a cannon Senshi?
1. Chapter 1

Tomboy Trouble

By Skye Silverwing

Disclaimer: Nope. I don't own any of this either.

Chapter 1: Morning Fight Gone Bad.

It was a normal day for Akane Tendo. She had woken early that morning to go on her morning jog, seeking to improve her martial arts ability in spite of her father's refusal to train her beyond the basics of the Tendo style of Anything Goes. She returned home and stripped off her jogging outfit to change into her training gi, then headed for the Dojo.

Her Father refused to teach her anything beyond the basics of Anything Goes techniques, so she had to make up for her lack of skill with power. Lots of power. Akane stacked a pile of fifteen concrete bricks and with a mighty punch, shattered them all. Then she did it again. And Again.

Her sister Nabiki entered the dojo and raised her arms to protect her face from flying shards of broken masonry.

Akane noticed her sister and stopped stacking the next set. "Oh, Nabiki, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." She said, "I was just getting in my workout."

Nabiki smiled at her little sister. "Is that so?" she said, "And here I thought you were redecorating the Dojo with gravel flooring. Oh, well. Kasumi says to get cleaned up for breakfast."

"Ok." Akane said, turning to leave the Dojo.

"Oh, by the way," Nabiki called after her, "I thought your workout doesn't really begin until you get to school."

This caused Akane to stop, clenching her fists and growling angrily at the thought of what was to come. She then proceeded to stomp to her room with an aggravated cry of "I HATE BOYS!"

Nabiki smiled. Her sister hated the attention that she had received upon starting High School. Especially since Tatewaki Kuno had declared his love for her and that any boy who wanted to date her would have to defeat her in combat. Naturally, the boys, as High School boys do, mistook this declaration as a promise that if someone beat the girl, she would date them. Thus, the following morning, and every morning after, no less then Fifty of Akane's classmates and sempais had turned out and attacked her.

Fortunately, one of the most basic techniques in the Tendo style of Anything Goes is called the "Dance of the Thousand Fists", a way of flowing from opponent to opponent at high speed, battling an entire crowd as one. If not for that, Akane might have lost on her first day. That and Kuno went easy on her.

Nabiki sighed. Her sister was easily among the top three fighters in Furinkan high, but Kuno was the best. He had money, power and skill with that boken of his, as well as his own family ninja. Akane stood no chance if he ever fought her seriously, as the trail of would-be fighters the Upperclassman had put in the hospital clearly showed.

Still, Nabiki had found ways to use her sister's "misfortune". Even after several months of these "Morning fights", there were still some students foolish enough to bet against Akane winning. Nabiki was always there to take their money. She even got some money out of Kuno while fanning the flames of his interest by selling him tasteful pictures of her sister in her morning training regime. Not that she let Akane know about that. No, her little sister would surely overreact.

As Akane finished cleaning up and headed for the dining room where her Eldest sister, Kasumi, was serving breakfast to Nabiki and Soun, their father. Nabiki finished her food as Akane entered and excused herself to leave for school early as she usually did.

"I am glad to see that Nabiki is taking her schooling so seriously." Kasumi remarked obliviously.

Soun nodded. "Hadn't you best be going too, Akane?" he asked.

Akane sighed, finished her food, and rose to leave.

Little did she know, today would be the most important day of her life.

..o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Akane met her friend Yuka on the way to Furinkan, as usual.

"Hi Akane, did you get your homework for Mr Fujimara's class?" Yuka asked.

"Yeah. Kasumi helped me with it." Akane replied.

The two friends continued to chat as they walked until they came within sight of the school gates. Akane tensed up visibly.

Yuka knew what it meant, and felt sorry for her friend. "Oh, no, Akane, not again." At her friend's curt nod of confirmation, Yuka sighed. "There has to be something you can do about it. Maybe talk to Kuno-sempai, get him to call it off?"

Akane shook her head. "Nabiki tried that already, when this all began." She said, steeling herself, then smirking, "Besides, it is a good workout."

Then she charged forward with a Battle cry of "I HATE BOYS!"

As expected, a milling mass of men waited in the courtyard, waiting until she appeared, then charging forward, intending to overwhelm her with sheer numbers. She flowed through the Dance of the Thousand Fists, sending dozens of her male classmates flying and crashing to the ground in unmoving heaps. Spinning and whirling through the mass, she struck out against one after another opponent, before she finally received the shock of her life.

A calm, relaxed arm caught her fist, redirecting the energy easily and sending her tumbling, flipping her helplessly in the air. She expected the pain of landing hard on the ground, but instead, found herself suspended by a strong pair of arms and staring up into the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen.

The mass of fighters fell silent, shocked by Akane's defeat, and dropped back to take stock of the situation. From a classroom window on the second floor, Nabiki looked on in shock. She grabbed the girl next to her by the shirt collar, and looked her straight in the eyes. "Who is that?" When the girl shook her head, denying knowledge, Nabiki let her go, "Well, FIND OUT!"

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Haruka Tenoh loved Nerima. It was full of dojos and gyms to train in, as well as having what was reported to be one of the easiest schools in the area, but most importantly, it was THE LAST place her father wanted her to be, and that alone was enough to convince her it was just where she wanted to be. Of course, it helped that, for some reason, Meioh industries was paying her expenses. Some kind of Scholarship, she supposed.

She had just finished eating breakfast which she had cooked on a skillet that she had just pulled from one of the boxes that littered her new apartment. She threw on the Boy's uniform of her new school (she hated how skirts looked on her) and headed out the door, and hurried down to the private garage and her pride and joy, a Fire-Engine Red Kawasaki Ninja Motorcycle.

In moments, Haruka was roaring down the streets to Furinkan High. Sadly, the School was too close, so she barely got her adrenaline up before she reached it. She met with the vice principal, since, apparently, the real Principal had taken a vacation and not returned. Having learned where to go for her first class, Haruka headed through the halls toward her homeroom.

A shred of conversation she heard in the Hallway peaked her interest. Something about a fight. Haruka liked fighting.

She approached the boy who had been talking. "Hey, what's this I hear about a fight?" she asked.

The boy turned and looked her over. "You're new, right?" he said, "Well, if you are a fighter, you should head down to the courtyard and get involved."

Haruka did not need another invitation. She hurried down into the courtyard to find the fight, but only found herself embroiled in a large crowd. A crowd full of men. She looked around, trying to figure out what was going on. They all seemed to be waiting for something. Then she heard it.

"I HATE BOYS!"

All at once the crowd surged forward as a lone girl with long, blue hair charged into the courtyard, striking and flowing, whirling and batting aside assorted males as they charged at her, screaming… professions of love?

The girl's movements were entrancing. The way she flowed from one strike into the next was beautiful, like a dance that made her a blur of blue hair and energy. She dispatched foe after foe with speed, precision, skill, strength and beauty.

Still, Haruka saw a weakness in the girl's technique. She was putting too much force into each punch without really paying attention to where it was going, as long as it had a target. As the girl came within range of Haruka, the blonde realized that there was no way for her to escape without either taking the punch, or putting her counter to it to the test.

There was not enough time for thought. The blue-haired beauty was throwing a punch at her head now. She twisted her body and flowed to one side, allowing the attack shoot past her, and then caught the girl's arm, using a simple Judo move to re-direct the energy in the punch, causing the girl to go flipping helplessly through the air. Ever the lover of a good save, Haruka took several steps back and caught the bewildered girl in her arms, barely preventing the girl from slamming her head into the concrete.

She then held the girl up and looked into her eyes. The eyes of the most beautiful girl she had ever seen.

Silence spread across the courtyard as the other fighters distanced themselves from them. The circle opened on one side and a young man entered, wearing traditional robes and carrying a boken. "How dare you treat the heavenly fierce tigress, Akane Tendo in such a manner?" He demanded, leveling his weapon on her, "I shall repay you for your insolence in full! What is you name, knave, that I might know what to inscribe on your tombstone?"

Haruka set the girl on her feet and faced the man and opened her mouth to speak.

The fool cut her off. "Hold. Is it not traditional to give one's own name first?" He asked. "Very well. I am the rising star of the Furinkan High School Kendo Team, and the Blazing Comet of Furinkan High, third-year student, Tatewaki Kuno, age 17."

Haruka nodded. "I am a second-year student, Haruka Tenoh." She stated curtly. "I gather you are challenging me?" She dropped into a basic combat stance.

Kuno nodded, bringing his weapon into a ready position.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Akane stood attempting to regain her breath while the introductions were made, but when the two boys moved into combat positions, she realized that if she did not act fast, Kuno was going to kill Haruka. She stepped between them, and held her hands up, thinking quickly. "Wait, Kuno sempai, didn't you tell boys to defeat me if they wanted to date me?" She asked, "Surely you would not go back on your word now?"

Kuno stopped and looked at the youngest Tendo and then looked at Haruka, whose eyes had widened slightly. He nodded to the girl and fixed the boy with a glare. "Fine then, you may have your date." He spat at the other boy, "But do not consider this reprieve to be anything more. Tomorrow you die." He then turned on his heel and stalked away as the bell rang.

Akane looked at Haruka, who smiled sheepishly. "Thanks." The boy said, "I may be good, but I am not sure I can handle him with that sword of his."

Akane nodded, but frowned. "I only managed to delay him," she said, "Kuno is infamous for being able to shatter concrete with his Boken. If you fight him, he will likely kill you."

Haruka's eyes widened. "I had heard of the power of the fighters around here, but that is insane!" He said, "There is no way I can stand up against that… Unless…"

Akane looked at the blond-haired boy. "Unless what?" she asked.

Haruka smiled at her. "Unless you help me train to beat him."

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Somewhere outside time, Setsuna Meioh watched the events with mounting interest. She glanced at her companion and sighed. "Are you sure this is going to work?" she asked.

Skye Silverwing grinned. "Nope." He said, "But that's why I am doing it."

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

I appreciate reviews, especially if they have some good ideas on what I should write next.


	2. Chapter 2

Tomboy Trouble

By Skye Silverwing

Disclaimer: If I owned any of it, you would not be reading it for free.

Chapter 2: Mutual Attraction.

By lunch, Nabiki Tendo was seeking a certain tomboy. In her hand, she had a file with the name "Haruka Tenoh" written on it. The contents had surprised her.

It seemed that not only was Ms. Tenoh a cross-dressing girl who often was cited over her school record for passing herself off as a boy, but also that she had high end connections amongst two very powerful corporations. In fact, Haruka's scholarship was the first of its kind that Meioh Industries had ever produced. That alone placed the Tomboy on Nabiki's Radar, not to mention that the girl's father was the CEO of Tenoh Incorporated, an impressive connection in itself, even if the two were not exactly on speaking terms.

Catching sight of her target, she headed for the blonde girl in the boy's uniform, who was talking to some members of the track team. "Pardon me, Tenoh-san," she said in a down-to-business voice, "My name is Nabiki Tendo, and I was wondering if I could have a word with you. Alone."

The track team members, recognizing Nabiki and knowing her reputation, fled quickly, leaving Haruka with her eyes locked on the middle Tendo, gauging the girl, as if to determine if she was an active threat. "Well," she said, "it seems we are rather suddenly alone, so let's talk."

Nabiki smiled. "I already have most of the information I need about you, Haruka," she said, "but I wanted to ask about a few things."

Haruka nodded, and motioned for Nabiki to sit.

Nabiki did, and produced a small notepad. "Ok, Haruka, did you know about Kuno's standing 'beat Akane to date her' order before you defeated her?"

"No." the blonde said, "Fortunate side-effect. I heard there was going to be a fight and went to check it out. Didn't expect the crowd to be participating."

Nabiki nodded. "Are you aware that revealing your gender would most likely let you out of the date with my sister as well as the fight with Kuno?" She asked.

Haruka chuckled. "True, but why would I want to do that?" she asked, "I love martial arts and my intended date will simply be her teaching me the basics of that 'Anything Goes' style of hers. Not to mention the fact that the girl has one of the most gorgeous smiles I have ever seen."

Nabiki cocked her head at that. "What about Kuno?"

Haruka sighed. "If Stickboy is as tough as Akane claims, I probably won't stand much of a chance right now," she said, "but if Akane's skill is any indication, Anything Goes may be able to make up the difference."

Nabiki raised one eyebrow at that. "In one day?" she asked, "The school is good, but it isn't that good. Besides, didn't you beat Akane?"

Haruka chuckled. "No. All I did was spot the hole in the maneuver she was using to attack the whole crowd." She said, "I don't think I could beat her one-on-one without the other distractions. Though a spar tonight will prove if I am wrong. Worst case, I admit to being a girl and back out of the fight with Kuno tomorrow."

Nabiki chuckled. "I have to admit, it is pretty well thought out." She said, "Now we just have to discuss my fee for not blowing your cover early."

Haruka developed a worried look as Nabiki began to chuckle evilly.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Akane walked home slowly, trying to figure out her own unusual behavior. Ordinarily, if any boy had slowed her progress through the Hentai Horde, she would have spawned a mallet and brained him, or at least let Kuno trounce him. After all, he had not even hurt her. But for some reason, she could not bring herself to do anything after she found herself in Haruka's arms, staring into his eyes. She even defended him from Kuno by agreeing to the stupid date thing!

Worse yet, she found herself unable to stop thinking about him. His eyes, his hair, that slightly cocky curve to the side of his mouth… She could barely even think him a pervert. It was like somehow she knew she could trust him, like they knew each other from somewhere, sometime, long ago…

Akane was so lost in thought thinking about Haruka that she failed to notice as she walked into a crosswalk, directly in the path of a speeding bus. She was shocked out of her reverie by the bus blaring on its horn as it bore down on her.

Suddenly, there was a flurry of motion, a shifting in the air and a blur of color as Akane was swept up in a diving roll and carried to safety.

She stared up, once again surprised to be cradled in the arms of Haruka Tenoh.

The mysterious young man smiled down at her. "It seems that you are always falling into my arms, Princess." He whispered, then raised his voice, "That's hardly the way to catch a bus."

The sudden shift from the soft, sensual tone to the harsh joke jarred from the shock she had been in, and she slapped the boy across the face. "PERVERT!" she cried, "How dare you touch me like that!"

Haruka rolled her eyes and chuckled merrily at the cute anger on the cute girl's face. "Sorry," she said, "Shall I let the bus hit you next time?"

Akane stopped and had the grace to look ashamed. "Oh… Sorry." She said in barely a whisper, "What are you doing here, anyway?"

Haruka smiled at the girl and chuckled. "You and I have a date, remember?" she said. "Your sister was kind enough to point me the right way after you left." She barely avoided wincing as she thought about what THAT little piece of info has cost her. "I was just cruising up on my bike when you strolled out in front of the bus. What was going through your mind, anyway?"

Akane blushed and immediately turned her back to hide it. "N-none of your business!" she said, sticking her nose in the air, closing her eyes and stomping off… Directly into a street lamp pole.

It was all Haruka could do not to laugh at the poor girl. "Here, let me give you a ride home." She said, indicating her motorcycle, "Maybe then we can spar and work on how I am going to survive my fight with Kuno."

Akane nodded, and was actually looking forward to the first decent spar she had had in some time.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Akane and Haruka stood in the dojo facing off against each other.

Haruka grinned. "Now don't you go easy on me." She said, siding into a basic Kenpo stance. "I will not be able to get better if you do."

Akane sighed. "I don't know why I would." She replied, "You beat me this morning, remember?"

Haruka sighed in response. "All I did was break your combat maneuver." She said, "I took an action it could not account for and then you stopped. You could have thumped me on the head, you know."

Akane grinned viciously. "I can still thump you on the head, Haruka." She said, "I bet you are just as perverted as the rest of them."

Haruka grinned. "You don't know the half of it."

What followed was a whirlwind of combat, Akane and Haruka dancing back and fourth on the dojo floor lashing out with punches, kicks, and throws. To Akane's surprise, she found that Haruka was very adept in analyzing her moves, to such extent that the blonde would never let her use the same combo twice. Akane found herself unable to hold back her skill, lest Haruka gain the advantage.

After nearly twenty minutes, the two were breathing hard and covered in bruises. Akane struck out with a lightning fast haymaker, sending Haruka slamming back into the Dojo's wall. The blonde dropped to the ground and did not move.

Concerned, Akane hurried and knelt beside the other fighter. Lifting her head gently off the ground, into her lap. "Haruka?" she asked "Are you okay? I didn't mean to hurt you…mmph!"

Akane was cut off by a sizzling kiss delivered by the apparent boy. At first, a part of her wanted to scream "pervert" and belt the boy one, but as the initial shock faded, she found herself enjoying it, leaning in to it and even kissing back. Kissing Haruka was felt like one of the most natural and right thing she had done since the first time she learned a kata.

As they sat there on the floor of the dojo, in each other's arms, certain…details… of Haruka's physique became readily apparent to her. She pressed her hands against the blonde's chest and leapt back from the surprising discovery.

"You… You're a…" Akane stuttered.

"A girl. Yes." Haruka finished, "Born that way."

"But you kissed me!" Akane said in a shocked tone, "So you're a…"

"Lesbian. Yes." Haruka finished, "One of the reasons I am not talking to my Dad anymore."

"B-but I liked it…." Akane said, as if realizing a terrible truth, "Does that make me…"

"A lesbian too?" Haruka said, a bit of mirth shining in her eyes, "I don't know. A girl can hope, though."

Akane stared at her, as if expecting her to get angry at her, to deny her for some reason. She felt like she needed Haruka to love her. She felt a connection to the girl that spanned back into the unknown depths of the past. Suddenly she became aware of the way that Haruka was staring intently into her eyes, and she could almost see the same need reflected in them.

"Akane…" Haruka whispered, "It might sound cheesy, but I feel like I have known you forever."

"Like we've met before, somehow." Akane finished, "Like I can trust you with my life, my soul, my secrets, and everything I hold dear…"

The two embraced again, but separated as they heard the front door of the house open. "I'm home!" Kasumi called, "Akane, could you come help me with these groceries?"

Akane smiled at Haruka and stood up. "Coming Kasumi!" she called, casting Haruka a sultry glance and then walking from the dojo with a slight sway to her hips that brought the lesbian to her feet as well.

"Wait! I'm coming too!" she called.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Kasumi entered the front door with her arms loaded with groceries, unable to see, she called for her little sister to help her carry the food for that she would prepare that evening for dinner. She smiled as she felt a pair of strong hands taking one of the heavy bags from her. "Thank-you, Aka- Oh, my!" She was surprised to see a blonde tomboy instead of the usual blue haired one.

Seeing her sister just behind the unknown girl, she directed an unhappy glance to her. "Akane, you did not tell me you had a guest." She said. "Who is your friend?"

Akane smiled and took some of the bags as well, leaving Kasumi with no burden. "This is Haruka." She said before turning toward the Kitchen. "She's a new student that I am teaching so that she can defend herself better."

Haruka quickly moved to follow Akane, shrugging off Kasumi's protests that a guest should not have to help put away groceries.

Giving up on stopping Haruka from helping, Kasumi busied herself with making a quick snack as well as some tea, though she paused more then once to notice how much consideration Akane and Haruka gave each other. She thought it must be nice for Akane to have a friend that she responds to that well.

Kasumi looked up as they finished putting the groceries away and smiled. "Haruka-san, Akane-chan, would you like some tea?" she asked.

The two tomboys nodded. Between the three of them, they polished off the snacks and tea, and then sat having polite conversation until Nabiki arrived home. The middle Tendo nodded greeting to Haruka then headed up to her room. Then Soun Tendo entered, having collected the mail for the day.

"Oh, my!" said Kasumi, looking at the time, "Look at the time! I need to start on dinner. Haruka, will you be joining us?"

Haruka nodded, and Akane took her by the arm. "Haruka and I are going to go for a quick jog, and then get some practice in before dinner." Akane said, pulling Haruka toward the door.

As they got outside, Haruka looked at Akane. "What was that all about?" she asked, "You pulled me out kind of quick, there."

Akane looked at her and sighed. "My father is something of a Traditionalist." She said. "He will never accept a relationship like ours, so I think we need to keep it under wraps. At least, for now."

Haruka nodded and the two began to jog, moving as quickly as they were able, which quickly became a competition of which one could catch the other fastest. A pair of lovers, playing tag as they dashed through the streets. \They just knew that nothing could ruin this.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

"COMING BACK FROM CHINA. BRINGING RANMA – SAOTOME."

Soun Tendo stared at the Postcard as though it was a sign from the heavens, tears streaming down his face.

He could not wait to see the joyous looks on his daughters' faces when they heard the news. His old friend was coming and bringing their fiancée.

He stood up and went to the family room. "Kasumi! Nabiki! Akane!" He called, "Could you three come here, please?"

Kasumi, having only been in the next room, arrived quickly. "Oh, my!" she said, "Father, what is it? I think Akane went for a jog with her new friend, though they should be back any time now."

Nabiki arrived next. "What is it, Daddy?" she said, somewhat irately. "I was working on my homework, as well as updating my finances for a recent windfall."

Soun smiles, "Girls, I have some great news," he said, "but it affects all three of you, so we need to wait for your sister."

A few minutes later, Akane and Haruka returned to find Nabiki waiting for them at the gate.

Akane looked at her sister. "What's up, sis?" she asked.

Nabiki cocked an eyebrow at the smile on Akane's face but decided to ignore it. "Daddy wants us in the family room." She replied, "Apparently he has some good news for us."

Curious, Akane followed her sister and Haruka tagged along, hanging back.

When they reached the Family room, Nabiki looked at Soun. "Okay, we are all here now." She said flatly. "What's this all about?"

Soun looked at his daughters and smiled. "I just received word that my old friend Genma and his son just returned from China and he is bringing his son, Ranma, who will be the fiancée of one of you."

"FIANCEE?" shouted four voices.

"You want us to marry someone we never met?" Nabiki asked.

"They are coming from China, so you will meet him." Soun replied, "Most likely today."

"Is he older then me?" Kasumi asked, "I don't like younger men."

"Is he cute?" Nabiki asked, "Or rich? What kind of guy is he?"

"I don't know." Soun said, "I have never met him. The pact was made before any of you were born."

"I am not going to marry some perverted boy!" Akane said, with more then one reason, eliciting a relieved sigh from Haruka, who was hiding behind a nearby wall.

Suddenly, there was a clamor outside the compound wall. "LET ME GO YA OL' FOOL!" Shouted a voice from outside.

"That must be them now!" Soun said, leaping to his feet and heading for the door.

"Alright, lets meet this 'Ranma'" Nabiki said, following him.

"Oh, my," said Kasumi, straightening her house dress, "I do hope he is older."

Akane cast a worried glance at Haruka. Something did not feel right.

Nabiki and Soun rather suddenly came running back into the room, followed by a huge Panda, carrying a struggling teenager on its shoulder.

"STOP IT YA OL' FOOL! YER SCARIN'EM!" The teen shouted.

"Father, don't tell me that is your friend!" Kasumi demanded, backing away.

"No!" said Soun, "Genma was definitely Human!"

"Yeah, sure," Akane said, dropping into a defensive stance, "and Pandas wander in here all the time!"

Haruka was about to back Akane up when the Panda set the teen on the ground.

Soun stepped forward and took a close look at them. "You…" the Tendo Patriarch said, "You wouldn't be…"

The girl looked at the ground with her violet eyes, holding her pigtail, so dark purple it was nearly black, in her hands, and said. "I'm Ranma Saotome… Sorry 'bout this."

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Outside time, at the time gates, Setsuna Meioh's eyes widened. She looked at Skye Silverwing, who stood next to her with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. "You have got to be kidding me." Setsuna whispered.

Skye grinned. "Bet you didn't see that coming."

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Love constructive criticism. Tell me what you think of the story so far; give me an idea of what you think should happen next.


	3. Chapter 3

Tomboy Trouble

By Skye Silverwing

Disclaimer: No, I don't own it.

Chapter 3: Complications.

"At last," Soun Tendo declared, "You have come!"

In a moment, his middle daughter appeared at his shoulder. "Ooo…" Nabiki said, "He _is_ cute!"

Soun gathered Ranma into a hug. "It is so good of you to have come…" he suddenly stopped, pushing the young Saotome back to arm's length, studying him.

Nabiki, ever an aware girl, approached Ranma and began poking "him" in the chest. This seemed to make Ranma uncomfortable. "Um…Could you stop that?" Ranma said.

Nabiki turned to the assembled people and shot a glare at her father. "'He' is a girl." She said, causing Soun to faint.

It took a relatively small amount of effort from the girls to transfer the man into a futon in his room. He lay there staring at the ceiling, surrounded by his three daughters and the girl that should have been the boy one of them would marry. Haruka, who had assisted with moving him, stood against the wall, a slightly confused look on her face.

Kasumi attended to Soun as he lay there. "Poor Father," She said, as she re dampened the cloth for his forehead. "He is so disappointed."

Nabiki scowled. "**He's** disappointed?" she grated, "Some Fiancé **this **is!"

Akane regarded her sister with a level look. "Stop it, you two," She said, "She may be a girl, but she is still a guest."

Haruka nodded. "Yeah," she said, "If I were you, I would be happy I didn't have to get married to some guy I didn't know. In fact, I left home because **my** father tried the same thing."

Akane stared at her, surprised at the little insight into the girl, and then smiled. Turning to Ranma, she grinned. "Ranma, would you like to join Haruka and I in the Dojo?" she asked, "I am trying to teach her to be good enough to hold her own against this jerk at school."

The pigtailed girl nodded. "Alright with me." She said.

Akane smiled. "Great! I'm Akane, by the way." She said with a cute smile, "Do you want to be friends?"

A genuine smile blossomed on the Ranma's face.

Haruka smiled as well, and the three of them went out to the dojo.

Akane observed Ranma's movements as she walked, trying to get a decent reading on the girl's skill, much to her surprise, she realized that this girl had clearly been training for some time, possibly as long as Akane herself.

As they reached the Dojo, Akane turned to Ranma. "You study Kenpo, right?" she asked.

The girl rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah. Some." She said, though Akane and Haruka both recognized it as modesty. This girl was clearly a decent fighter.

Akane slid into a basic stance. "How about a little sparring match?" she asked, "Just for fun. I promise to go easy on you."

Ranma looked her over and seemed to stand at ease. "If you say so." She said.

Haruka was not sure what to make of the pigtailed girl. She seemed nonchalant, and yet there was a sense of control in her movements that gave her the sense of a coiled spring, tense and ready to move at a moment's notice.

Akane opened up with a simple punch. Rather than block it, the pigtailed girl jumped vertically, drawing her whole body up over the punch. Akane's follow-up kick was also dodged. She began to get a sense that Ranma was just toying with her. She pushed her strength and speed to the limit, trying to score a hit on the girl, but each time, her attacks only met air. "What are you doing," she asked, trying to convince the purple-eyed girl to do more than just dodge, "Swing at me!"

Ranma continued to dodge, and Akane realized that the girl was reading her moves like no one she had ever seen. Focusing everything she had into a single punch, she struck at the girl as hard and as fast as she could, driving her fist straight through the wall as Ranma dodged.

The Pigtailed martial artist vaulted over Akane's head and calmly tapped her on the back of her head. Akane turned slowly, and began to laugh nervously. Ranma joined her in a few moments.

Haruka stared somewhat wide-eyed at the Pigtailed girl, aware of how skilled a fighter would have to be to make someone like Akane look like that much of an amateur, that easily. She didn't even break a sweat, and Akane couldn't have touched her with a ten foot pole. It was more out of desire to see how well her own skills measured up than any kind of need to avenge her would-be girlfriend that Haruka stepped forward. "Okay," she said, "my turn."

Ranma gave the blonde an appraising glance. "Okay." She said, "Show me what you've got."

Haruka stepped up, starting the fight out with a haymaker, transitioning into a roundhouse kick. Ranma ducked under the haymaker, popping up using Haruka's leg as a springboard. Haruka lashed out with a feint, then a blazing fast straight punch. She was not surprised to see the marital artist had anticipated her moves, easily avoiding the attack. She tried a fast punch-kick combo, attempting to read where the girl would be, only to find that the girl was never exactly where she expected her to be. Finally, Haruka tried another roundhouse, and Ranma vaulted over her head, causing the blonde to spin to attempt to face her again. To her surprise, though, the pigtailed girl was not there. A soft tap on the back of her head revealed Ranma to be standing where she had started the jump from. She had jumped up and caught the rafter, allowing her to drop back down when Haruka turned.

Both girls grinned. "You are pretty quick when it comes to anticipating an opponent's moves." Ranma told her, "I think that if you combine that with skill born of practice and determination, you will be able to fight better than most fighters in Japan."

Akane felt a sharp pang of jealousy, though she was unsure if it was directed at Haruka, for making a better showing then she had, or at Ranma because she had Haruka's attention and Akane was still trying to come to grips with her feelings toward the Tomboyish blonde.

Kasumi appeared at the door of the dojo. "You girls should get cleaned up after your workout." She said. "Dinner will be started soon."

Akane noticed the appreciative manner with which Haruka glanced toward Ranma and glared at the blonde for a moment, before turning to the violet-eyed girl. "Ranma, you go first." She said, "Haruka and I need to have a discussion." She then proceeded to drag Haruka to the other side of the dojo, missing the pigtailed girl's sigh of relief.

As soon as the two were alone, Akane caught the Tomboyish blonde up in the most sizzling kiss she could manage. Then she fixed her with a solid glare. "Let me make one thing absolutely clear to you, Haruka." She said with a slightly vicious growl, "If you are going to ogle other women while we are together, we are not going to have a relationship, no matter how right kissing you feels."

Haruka nodded dumbly for a moment before she came back to her senses. "I just can't shake the feeling like something is off about her." She said, "Most Tomboys are like you and I, feminine in some ways, masculine in others. But everything about her screams boy, from her walk, to her skill, to her mannerisms. She doesn't act like a girl, and when she does, it comes off as totally fake."

Akane nodded, considering the new girl's actions up to this point. "Maybe her father raised her as a son." She said, "It would fit with what Dad told us."

They headed for the bath room, figuring that Ranma would likely be finishing up by now.

Catching Haruka eyeing her with a smirk, Akane fixed the girl with a piercing glare. "Oh, no, Miss Pervert." She said, stopping at the door into the changing room. "You are staying right here until I am done. Our relationship is not THAT advanced yet."

Haruka looked at her somewhat dejectedly, but leaned against the wall and motioned for her to hurry up already.

Smiling at her, Akane opened the exterior door and went in, closing it firmly behind her. She quietly disrobed and placed her clothes next to Ranma's and picked up a towel. With one more quick glance to make sure Haruka was not peeking she opened the inner door of the bath room.

And Froze.

Stepping out of the bath at that very moment was a man that Akane had never seen before. His solid black hair was tied back in a pigtail, and was dripping wet. Water glistened as it ran down his well-muscled body as he stood there, staring, as shocked by her presence as she was shocked by his.

After a momentary silence, Akane shut the door, slowly put her clothes back on, stepped to the external door, opened it, stepped out, and closed it. She then closed her eyes and let out a breath that she had been unaware she had been holding.

Haruka looked at Akane standing there in shock. "Akane?" she asked, "Are you Okay?"

As if the words had broken the trance she had been in, Akane let out a piercing scream, then charged into the next room and out onto the porch, bending down to pick up a heavy stone statue while muttering something about drowning him in the tub.

Nabiki and Kasumi stepped out onto the porch, anxious because of their sister's scream. "What is it Akane?" Nabiki asked noticing the statue in her sister's hands, "What is that for!"

Akane hefted the weight higher. "There is a pervert in the Bath Room!" she declared.

"Oh, My!" Kasumi said, "But wasn't Ranma in the…"

The Eldest Tendo Daughter's statement was cut off as a loud crash sounded from the bath room. All of the Tendos turned to look, seeing the bath room door standing open. A moment later, a black-haired man, dressed as Ranma had been, dashed out, and, reaching the opposite wall, ran up it, and jumped off with a back flip, narrowly avoiding Haruka's attack as she charged and threw a low jump kick that crashed through the wall.

The boy had only a moment to recover, as Haruka lashed out again, this time with a Haymaker that claimed a vase that had been displayed in the hall. The boy narrowly managed to dodge, giving ground as the Tendo girls watched in shock.

"Perverted Freak!" Haruka Raged, "What do you think you're doing in Akane's bath?"

The Blonde threw a fast right punch, only to find her arm caught by the boy, who used her momentum to spin around, depositing her at the feet of the Tendo girls. All of them were preparing to defend themselves when he spoke. "I told ya," He said heatedly, "I would explain!"

Nabiki was the first to speak. "Who…" she said, "Who are you?"

The boy developed a sheepish and embarrassed look. "I'm Ranma Saotome." He said, "Sorry about this."

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Haruka had been called many things during the course of her life, but indecisive was not one of them. The moment Akane had exited the bath room, she was aware that something was wrong. When Akane screamed and fled down the hall, rather than waiting to find out what had happened, Haruka had charged into the bath room to find out for herself. This had brought her face to face with the partially clothed man she recalled as the one her father had tried to engage her to, Ranma Saotome.

The similarity of the boy's name to that of the girl she had fought ten minutes earlier had completely slipped her mind as she determined that THIS Ranma, who was known to be one of the best martial artists of their generation, had been in the bath room and had done something that had frightened Akane. That was more than enough in Haruka's eyes.

"Ranma Saotome." She said, her voice dripping with contempt. "Prepare to DIE!"

"What the…" Ranma said, as he flung himself to the side in order to get his pants back on, even as he dodged Haruka's mad bull rush. "Haruka, wait… I can explain." He got out while performing a standing back flip while putting on his shirt.

Haruka was not surprised that the jerk knew her name. He and that louse of a father of his had caused her enough grief over the past three years. Ever since the older jerk had taken the dowry her father had offered and ran off, she had never seen eye to eye with her father, as he had believed that she had driven them off.

She spun a roundhouse kick, destroying the bathroom door with a loud crash as Ranma vaulted over her leg, and made for the door. Haruka would have none of that, though. She launched forward in a low jump kick, and smashed into the wall as Ranma ran up it and flipped over her, retreating down the hall. She charged like a raging bull down the hall, throwing a haymaker that should have taken off his head, but instead slammed into a nearby pot as the boy seemed to flow past her outstretched arm with practiced grace and ease.

Placing all she had into one last punch, she called him a pervert for being in the bath, and then she found herself drastically overextended as he almost calmly took hold of her arm and sent her tumbling through the air to land in defeat at her love's feet.

Ranma seemed embarrassed by the whole situation. "I told ya," he said, "I would explain!"

Above her, Nabiki took a tentative step toward the boy. "Who," she asked lacking her usual confidence, "Who are you?"

The boy looked even more embarrassed. "I'm Ranma Saotome," he said, "sorry about this."

It was in that moment that Haruka made the connection. The name, the manner, the boyish way in which the girl had acted, it all matched up that somehow, in some way, this boy and that girl were one and the same. With curiosity overcoming her anger, she stood, and followed Ranma and the Tendo girls into the dining room, as eager as the others where to hear the explanation.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

"I'll explain this again." Soun Tendo said, indicating a man wearing a white bandanna and glasses, "This is my old friend…"

"Genma Saotome," he said, then gesturing to his son, sitting beside him, "and this is my son…"

"Ranma." Ranma finished.

Nabiki stared at the two of them incredulously. "What's this all about?" she asked.

Kasumi stared at the boy in wonder. "Are you really her?" she asked, "That same girl?"

Akane just glared at the boy as though she thought he had deliberately deceived her.

Haruka, who was not really part of the family, sat back and weighted for the explanation, after which, if the two men failed to give reason for their actions, she fully intended to pound both of them into paste.

Genma thoughtfully rubbed his chin. "How to begin…" he said, "Ah! I know!" Then he grabbed Ranma by the shirt and flung him through the open patio door and into the Koi pond in the back yard.

When Ranma emerged from the cold water, his hair was once again dark purple and his proportions decidedly more female. "What the Hell are you doing!?" She shouted, leaping at the old man.

Genma cried tears of humiliation. "Oh, how humiliating," He said, "My own son."

Ranma kicked him into the koi pond as well. What emerged was decidedly more… Well… a Panda.

Ranma glared at the black-and-white bear with contempt. "You're one to talk." She said.

Kasumi looked at her father. "Where they always like this?" she asked.

Soun simply shook his head. "They were not." He said, "Not before they went to China and undertook that terrible training exercise."

Haruka looked at the transformed men and narrowed her eyes as they headed for the bath to change back. "They better get to explaining before I lose my patience." She said.

Akane only nodded.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

When Ranma and Genma returned to the room Genma began to tell the tragic tale. "We were in China for a few months when we reached the Legendary training ground of Jusenkyo, the Springs of Sorrow." He said. "We were completely unaware of the tragedy that was about to befall us."

Ranma growled at his father. "Whose fault was that?" he demanded, "You just had to jump right onto the poles while the Guide was still trying to tell us about it!"

Genma swung at his son. "Silence boy!" He said, "Respect your elders! Who is telling this story anyway?"

Ranma casually avoided the punch and smirked at his father. "You are still just mad that I beat you in that training." He said, and then turned to the others, "Knocked him right into Shomannichuan, the Spring of the Drowned Panda."

Genma growled and caught his son in a headlock. "You never beat me, boy!" he said, "I popped back up and cut right through your lowered guard. You know better than that."

Ranma pitched his father over his shoulder, slamming him to the ground. "The only reason I lowered my guard was because what 'popped back up' was a Freaking Panda!" he said, "A Panda that proceeded to kick me into Nyanichuan, the Spring of the Drowned Girl."

Soun and his Daughters and their guest stared at the two fighters. "So, the legends of the Cursed Training Grounds at Jusenkyo are true!" Soun exclaimed. "Though its true horror was never revealed, until now."

"True horror nothing." Haruka said, "That oaf probably didn't even read the brochure."

Genma turned to glare at the girl, only then truly seeing her for the first time. His eyes widened as he recognized her and began to look around quickly for an exit.

Kasumi put her hand over her mouth. "Oh, My!" she said, "Is it possible that you cannot read Chinese?"

Ranma nodded, confirming Kasumi's thought. "We learned afterwards that all of the signs along the road leading up to Jusenkyo were saying the same thing." He said, "But _somebody_ decided that we should ignore them."

Genma suddenly rounded on his son. "You be quiet, boy!" he said, pitching him into the koi pond again. "And respect your elders!"

Ranma leapt from the water, once again sporting feminine curves. "I will give you respect when you earn it!" she shouted, lashing out at Genma and dumping him in the water just as before. The Panda leapt out and began trading blows with the girl.

Soun pulled out a tea kettle. "So hot water undoes the curse?" he asked, pouring the boiling water from the kettle on the Panda.

Genma reverted to human form, uttering a startled exclamation as he did. "Not quite THAT hot, old friend." He said as Soun moved on to Ranma.

Soun attempted to pour the boiling water on the girl, but the she dodged. "Well, this is not such a problem at all." Soun said, "My daughter Kasumi is nineteen, and Nabiki is seventeen, and Akane is sixteen. Pick one of them and she shall be your fiancée."

Before Ranma could speak, Kasumi and Nabiki weighed in.

"Oh, he wants Akane." Kasumi said.

"Oh, definitely." Nabiki agreed.

"WHAT!?" both Haruka and Akane demanded.

"You have got to be kidding!" Akane said angrily. "I don't want to marry that pervert!"

Nabiki grinned. "You're always going on about how you hate boys…" she began.

"Well, now you are in luck, because this boy is half a girl!" Kasumi finished.

Ranma glared at the lot of them, who, like their fathers, seemed to be ignoring her now. "Hey, don't I get any say in–" she stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked and saw that the hand belonged to Haruka.

Haruka's gaze bored into her like a laser drill. "Ranma, can we talk, privately?" she asked, clearly working things around in her head.

Ranma nodded, curious.

The two of them, lost to the argument of the sisters, slipped from the room.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Haruka looked the girl over once more. "Ranma, do you remember the time you spent at my family's mansion, six months ago?" she asked.

Ranma stared blankly at her for a moment before recognition dawned in her eyes. "Ruka-chan?" she asked, surprised to see one of the few friends she had met on her training trip here. "Wow, I can't believe I didn't recognize you. How's your old man?"

Haruka glared at the girl. "He and I have not seen eye-to-eye since you and that jerk you call a father left." She said. "He believed that I drove you two off deliberately."

Ranma cocked her head. "That's stupid. Pop said we left because we had been there long enough." She said, then her expression turned thoughtful. "Though, he did mention something about an agreement that your dad wanted him to fulfill."

Haruka looked at Ranma in surprise. "You mean you didn't know what the agreement was?" she asked.

Ranma shook her head. "No. It just seemed like the same type of thing the old man did every so often." She said. "I would meet a new friend and then for no reason their parents would give pops food or money or something and then we would leave."

Haruka's eyes widened. "The agreement between our parents was for you and I to get married." She said. "I was against the idea, being uninterested in men, but you and your father left, and my father blamed me."

Ranma's eyes widened. "I… I didn't know." She said. "Is there anything I can…?"

Haruka chuckled. "No, I burned all the bridges with my father shortly after you left when I decided to become a lesbian." She said.

Ranma's eyes widened even more. "A… a lesbian?!" she asked, "Doesn't that mean that you…"

"Are into women?" Haruka responded. "Yes. I am."

In a rare moment of insight, Ranma suddenly came to a realization. "Does that mean you are interested in Akane?" she asked.

Haruka nodded. "I just met her earlier today," she said, "but I feel like I am connected to her, like we are destined to be together."

Ranma nodded, understanding the blonde's sentiment in her own way. "I had a friend that seemed to be that way, once, though I didn't return his interest. I don't think love is something I should get in the way of." She said, than thought a bit. "Mr. Tendo doesn't seem like the type of guy to agree with it, though."

Haruka nodded. "That is why I need your help." She said. "I have a plan."

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Deep in the Darkness, something evil stirred.

"HAPPOSAI, AWAKEN."

A small old man pulled himself from the shadows. "Yes, My Master?" he asked.

"THE MESSIAH OF DESTRUCTION STIRS. YOU MUST LOCATE HER AND BRING HER BEFORE ME."

Happosai looked surprised. "That cannot be, My Lord," he said. "The power of the Messiah of Destruction is locked away and useless within its male host."

"DO YOU DOUBT MY WORDS, HAPPOSAI?"

Happosai cowered before the force. "No, my lord!" he said, "I would never doubt you! I will find the girl and bring her before you, as you have commanded!"

"GOOD. SOON MY ARRIVAL WILL BE SECURED."

Happosai bowed deeply. "Yes," he said. "It shall be as you command, Lord Pharaoh 90."

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Setsuna stared at the image in the Gates and turned to the Ascended Being standing next to her. "What the heck was that?!" she demanded.

Skye Silverwing grinned at the green-haired Senshi. "That," He said, "Was the villain. With no Professor Tomoe, someone else had to bring him into play, so why not the aged martial-arts master?"

Setsuna glared at him. "But Tomoe never had the power Happosai has!" she said, stomping her foot. "It is unbalancing to the timeline!"

"No it isn't." Skye said with a placating grin, "You are underestimating the power that Ranma has. A strong Saturn means no Mistress Nine. Happosai makes up for that. The Timeline is balanced."

Setsuna sighed and turned her back on the self proclaimed God of Possibilities. "This is not going to end well." She said.

Skye raised an eyebrow. "Care to make a friendly wager on that?" he asked.

Setsuna turned and glared at him once more. "That would be foolish of me, betting against my own happiness." She said.

Skye grinned. "Not if my stake is letting you start it over how you want." He said.

Setsuna's eyes widened. "Then what is my stake?" she asked.

Skye grinned.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

I think I mentioned it before, but I love constructive criticism. Tell me how I am doing, what you think I can do better, and give me plot ideas.


	4. Chapter 4

Tomboy Trouble

By Skye Silverwing

Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own it.

Chapter 4: A Little Plot

To Akane's credit, she was the first to notice the absence of her Lover and the one she was being forced into engagement with. "Wait a minute…" she asked "Where did Ranma and Haruka go?"

The other two girls scanned the room, noticing for the first time that the subject of their argument had vanished, along with Akane's guest.

Soun and Genma also noted the pair's disappearance, but Genma merely smiled at his old friend. "See, your girl is so in tune with my son already that she noticed the moment he left the room." He said, "Call the priest; we can have them married by nightfall."

Soun frowned. "In order to do that, we must locate the boy." He said, "Quickly, Nabiki, put together a search party!"

"That isn't necessary." Ranma said, entering the room in male form. "I'm right here. I decided that Akane will be my fiancée."

Soun and Genma began to jump for joy.

Akane went livid. "Now listen here you-" she began, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Turning, she saw Haruka standing there with a knowing look in her eyes. Catching on, Akane fell silent.

Ranma nodded. "I do have a few conditions, of course." He said.

Soun and Genma stopped dancing and turned on him. "What do you mean, Boy?" Genma demanded.

Ranma locked eyes with him. "I'm honor bound to marry a Tendo." He said flatly, "But I am also honor bound to marry Ms. Tenoh over there. She does not want it, and I don't either, but in order to honorably dissolve that engagement, we each need to be eighteen. This makes the first condition that I cannot marry Akane until my arrangement with Haruka is dissolved. That will take two years."

Soun turned an accusatory gaze on Genma. "Genma…" he said, "What is the meaning of this 'agreement with Ms. Tenoh'?"

Genma sweated. "Well, Tendo, old friend," he said in a placating tone, "Training Trips cost money, and I did some work for Ms. Tenoh's Father in order to build up some funds. When it came time for him to pay up, however, he demanded that my son marry his daughter with the money as the dowry. His claim is not important."

Haruka stepped forward. "The problem, Mr. Saotome, is that my father had a legally binding contract, signed by you, posted in the Registers Office." She said. "My father will never agree to dissolve it so that Ranma can marry Akane, but since I don't want to marry Ranma, I would happily agree to dissolve the contract when I turn eighteen, in exchange for Ranma serving as my Sensei in the Art."

Ranma nodded again. "That brings us to my second condition." He said. "I am taking on Haruka as my first student, with Akane assisting in her training."

Soun nodded. "That sounds reasonable." He said, turning to Nabiki, "I assume that such a contract would need to be dissolved before Ranma and Akane could be wed."

The middle Tendo nodded. "Absolutely." She said, "With such a powerful family on the other end of the contract, breaking it would almost certainly put Mr. Saotome, if not you, behind bars." She turned her gaze on Haruka, a speculative look in her eyes.

Ranma nodded. "My last condition is that Akane's training, as well as my own, need to be stepped up so that we can both be masters of our respective schools by the time Haruka and I dissolve the contract." He said. "That way, we can be ready to take over the dojo and train more students."

Genma nodded eagerly, but Soun winced. "I have not been able to teach since my wife passed away." The Tendo Patriarch said, bowing his head in shame. "I just don't have the will."

Ranma fixed the man with a stern glare. "If your School has no Master, then we cannot join the Schools." He said. "It is that simple."

Soun looked up, surprised at the simplicity of the statement then sighed in defeat. "I- I… Alright…" He said. "I will train Akane to be a Master of the Tendo School within two years."

Ranma nodded. "Good." He said, "Now, if you all will excuse us, my fiancées and I have some things to discuss."

With that, Ranma, Haruka and Akane left the room

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

When She, Ranma, and Haruka reached her room, Akane rounded on the other two, with an accusing look in her eyes. "Alright you two, start explaining!" she said angrily, "and it better be good!"

Haruka smiled. "Well, you see, Genma and Ranma came to my father about six months ago on their training trip." She said, "The two of us hit it off, and became fast friends, but Genma, that slimy jerk, saw our friendship as a means to scam some money out of my old man. He convinced him that Ranma would make a good husband for me, so that he could pocket the dowry and run." She clutched her hands reflexively, imagining giving a certain panda the beating of his life.

Ranma picked up the story. "Anyway, since Pops had no intention of keeping that engagement, he never told me about it." He said, "Ruka-chan's old man told her though and she was against it, what with being gay and all."

Akane flinched at the pet name, but neither of the others noticed.

Haruka nodded at Ranma's statement. "I wasn't into boys and the idea made no sense to me because I was way too young for it." She said, "The old man was serious though, and drew up the contract and had Genma sign it. I doubt that Genma knew what he was doing. In any case, when Genma ran, my father blamed me for running them off. It was about a week later I decided to be a Lesbian. My father kicked me out and denied me any of the family's money. I would have been forced to stop going to school and start working to support myself if not for the Scholarship I got from Meioh Industries."

Seeing that Haruka had gotten off topic, Ranma took over. "Anyway, when Ruka-chan recognized me, she came up with this plan." He said, "Ya see, you two really like each other, and I don't feel right getting in the way of that. Mr. Tendo, on the other hand, would never agree to it, as I'm sure you know."

Akane nodded.

Haruka locked eyes with her. "I figured that while he would not want you and me together, he would not bat an eye at you and Ranma together, because of that pledge." She said, "So I had Ranma make them agree to wait until the three of us are eighteen and can legally cancel contracts, so that they would not jump to get you two married, so then you have Ranma, the incredible fighter he is, as your 'fiancé' until the time is up, putting a stop to your boy troubles."

Akane looked a little surprised. "What about the training thing?" she asked.

Ranma sighed. "I figured that 'training Haruka' is a good reason for you two to be spending time together." He said, "Also, no offense, 'kane, but if your family style is half as effective as the Saotome style, your old man must have really cut back on your training, because I wasn't even using a tenth of my skills when we were sparring earlier, and you never even got close to hitting me. Of course, that could just be because you are weak in general."

Haruka winced.

Akane's face darkened as she accessed a special technique. "I'll show YOU weak!"

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

"I'll show YOU weak!"

A deafening crash echoed through the house.

Kasumi turned to Nabiki and frowned slightly. "Oh, my!" she said, "What do you suppose happened?"

Nabiki sighed. "Whatever it was, he probably had it coming." She said.

Meanwhile, Genma smiled at Soun. "Those two were made for each other, Tendo old boy!" he said.

Soun nodded. "Indeed they are, Saotome, Indeed they are!"

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Around the same time, in a pocket dimension located Elsewhere…

"MERCURY STAR POWER!"

"MARS STAR POWER!"

"JUPITER STAR POWER!

"VENUS STAR POWER!"

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"

The Death Phantom stared down at the girls who dared defy him. "I cannot lose to the power of the Crystals!" he shouted as the power surged up toward him.

The Elder of the two Princesses challenging his might glared up at him. "Evil Power," she yelled, her statement finished by her younger counterpart, "Be gone from this place!"

Then with one last surge of power, the two Princesses overcame the Death Phantom's defenses and their power surged over him.

"I, Death Phantom, the Ruler of the Darkness, will not be defeated!"

Even as he spoke, the power of the two Ginzuishous washed over him, giving lie to his words as it overwhelmed him and destroyed him utterly, going on to destroy his Dark Crystal as well.

The power then dissipated, leaving the two exhausted Princesses cradled unconscious in the arms of their friends.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Kasumi Tendo was up well before dawn the following morning, beginning her preparations for breakfast for her loved ones and guests. She enjoyed the silence of the morning and the calm it brought. As she set the meal to cook, she took a nice cup of tea and went to sit on the back porch to watch the sunrise in blissful silence.

The silence was suddenly broken, however, as a scream rang out, and a silhouetted form suddenly flew from the guest room window, landing with a splash in the koi pond. A moment later, a second form leapt from the window and charged to the edge of the pool, meeting the other at the water's edge and engaging in an exchange of blows with a fury she had not seen before.

Kasumi's first thought was that someone had snuck in and attacked their gusts in their sleep, and that someone had engaged the intruder in combat, but then the first form kicked the second one into the pond, and the light finally caught on its face and hair, revealing the deep violet hair and lovely face of Ranma's female form, even as the other form surged to the surface to reveal the powerful and fierce shape of Genma's Panda form.

As the two renewed their frenzied attack, the Eldest Tendo Daughter was struck once again by how odd a pair of guests they were, being up this early and training so hard. She had never seen even Akane fight that hard, and Akane was one of the best fighters she knew. Moreover, from the looks on their faces, this was really just a sparring match for these two, not a serious battle. They danced back and forth, moves flashing almost too fast for the eye to see, faces contorted in concentration, but not hatred. They were truly powerful martial artists, these two.

It suddenly occurred to Kasumi that the two of them were likely working up an appetite. Nodding to herself, she turned around and headed back into the kitchen to finish making breakfast.

It wasn't long before Nabiki came down, moving like something out of an old zombie movie. Kasumi handed her sister a cup of the fresh brewed coffee and prepared a second. After two coffees, Nabiki started to complain about all the noise. A few minutes later, Akane joined them, also seeming a bit irritated, though Kasumi wasn't sure if it was more about being woken up by Ranma's and Genma's sparring match, or the fact that she had not been invited to join.

A few minutes later, Soun arrived, glancing between the fight in the backyard and his youngest daughter indecisively, as if trying to determine if she expected him to begin training with her in the same way this very morning.

Apparently picking up on her father's indecision, Akane favored him with a smile. "Don't worry, Daddy." She said, "We can begin my training tonight."

Smiling at the look of relief on her father's face, Kasumi turned to call Ranma and Genma in for breakfast.

After a few minutes and a little hot water, the two newest members of the household joined the others at the table. As Kasumi finished serving the food, she was reminded of the fact that these two had spent years on the road by their poor table manner. It even seemed like they were dueling with their chopsticks, fighting it out over every morsel.

As they finished, Genma smiled at his son. "Pretty good, boy," he said, "Now I want you to get ready, because you start school today."

Ranma nodded. "I know." He said, "Furinkan High, Right?"

Nabiki nodded. "Same as Akane and me." She said, getting a mildly speculative look in her eye, "I am going in early, so Akane will have to show you the way."

With that, everyone broke and went their separate ways: Nabiki left, Ranma and Akane went to get ready, Soun and Genma went to play Shogi, and that left Kasumi to clean up after breakfast.

As the Eldest Tendo Daughter stacked the dishes to carry them to the kitchen to clean, she thought back on her thoughts that morning when Ranma had first burst through the window. She could not help but giggle at the thought that it could have been someone trying to kill her younger house guest.

After all, there couldn't be anyone out to kill Ranma, right?

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Far to the East, a small ship cut silently through the water. Standing upon the bow of the ship was a beautiful girl with long, lavender her. She fingered the pair of heavy maces resting next to her and shifted slightly the pair of swords secreted at her side as she stared at the land mass ahead.

In this strange and distant land, she would find the one she sought. As the Island grew larger, she shifted her weight and reminded herself of her mission. "Ranma…" she whispered. "Die."

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

On a seashore somewhere, a small black pig pulled itself ashore against the weight of the heavy pack it dragged with it. As it lay down to rest, it whispered to itself. "Bwee…" it said, "Bwee, Bwee-wee!"

Which translates to: "Ranma… This is your fault!"

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

At an all-boys school in Kyoto, a girl dressed as a boy slaved away over a hot grill, practicing her trade as she had since the day her fiancé had betrayed her. She hid her pain along with her gender behind the sweat and strength of a chef and a skilled warrior.

She flipped the Okonomiyaki and in one graceful motion, flung it high in the air so that it landed with a soft plop on the plate held out by one of her fellow students. As she worked, she muttered a little under her breath. "Ranma." she whispered, "You will pay for all you took from me…"

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

At the gates of Furinkan, a young man of Samurai lineage held his wooden sword ready. Today he would have his vengeance, and would win the heart of the fierce tigress Akane Tendo by defeating the one who had managed to best her. His blood was nobler then some low-born fool, fresh off the streets to fowl the halls of this noble learning institution, and thus his victory was assured.

He held his head high and his blade higher. "Oh, my sweet tigress, Akane Tendo," he intoned to no one unparticular, "Today, the one who would dare try to take you from me shall die by my hands, in the name of the house of Kuno and all of my Righteous Fury!"

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Akane and Ranma were making their way toward the school, Akane walking along on the ground while Ranma strolled casually along atop the fence that served as the barrier to stop pedestrians from falling in the canal that ran beside the street. They were talking companionably when Ranma suddenly sneezed three times, nearly tumbling off the fence in doing so.

This was followed immediately by another sneeze announcing Haruka's approach along a nearby bridge. Ranma and Akane both goggled at the sight of Haruka walking along wearing the girl's uniform for Furinkan high, and not looking very comfortable. Haruka sniffed hard and shivered. "How do other girls stand wearing this get-up?" she grumbled unhappily, "You can't even run in it without flaring the skirt and getting a draft up some very uncomfortable places."

Akane chuckled at Haruka's discomfort. "Most girls just learn not to run in it." She said. "If it helps, the skirt is actually relatively easy to fight in."

Haruka just winced.

Ranma cocked head. "Why are you even in that get-up, Ruka-chan?" He asked, crouching on the fence to take a closer look at the girl. "It doesn't look right on you at all."

A flying crescent kick sent Ranma tumbling backward into the canal. Akane landed lightly atop the fence and glared down at her would-be fiancée. "Don't you dare be rude to Haruka anymore!" she growled, "She looks great in that outfit, even if she does look better in a boy's uniform."

Haruka looked up at her girlfriend. "Umm… Akane?" she said, eyeing the girl. "As much as I enjoy the view, if anyone else sees it, I am going to get jealous."

Akane blinked for a moment before she realized what Haruka was talking about. A split second later, she "eep"ed and her hands flew to hold her skirt down as she dropped off of the fence, to prevent anyone from seeing up her skirt any more.

A slightly red faced Ranma pulled herself back onto the fence, looking somewhat like a drowned rat. She looked down at herself and sighed. "Oh, great. I can't go to school like this!" she said, gesturing at her feminine curves. "We need to find a place where I can get some hot water."

Both Akane's and Haruka's eyes were drawn to the purple-haired girl's figured and they then both noticed each other looking and blushed. "W-We can stop for some hot water at Dr Tofu's clinic." Akane said, trying to cover up her embarrassment. "It is on the way."

Haruka's head popped up. "You mean Dr. Tofu Ono?" she asked, "He is the representative Meioh Industries selected to advise me about my scholarship."

Akane nodded. "Dr. Tofu is our family doctor." She said, "Meioh Industries invested heavily in his practice a few years ago, though, and he has been serving as their liaison in the area ever since."

A few minutes later, Akane led them into a building with a clinic sign above the door. "You two wait here." She said in the waiting room. "I will go find Dr. Tofu." With that, she disappeared down the hall.

Ranma looked at her old friend. "So, why _are_ you wearing that girls' uniform, Ruka-chan?" she asked, "Weren't you able to get an exception to that rule?"

Haruka sighed. "Yeah I got the exception," She replied, "but I got in a bit of trouble yesterday with this upperclassman named Tatewaki Kuno. He is really skilled at Kendo, according to Akane, and is apparently out for my blood after I beat her in a fight."

Ranma cocked her head. "So?"

Haruka sighed. "So, I talked with Nabiki," she said, "and it seems like the only one who has ever come close to besting Kuno is Akane, and all the guys who have tried ended up seriously injured. I don't think I can survive his challenge, so I am going to back out of it, on the grounds of being female."

Ranma frowned. "That is no reason to quit." She said. "It is rising to the challenges and beating them that make a fighter stronger. You have all it takes to bring down a fighter several levels higher than you if you set yourself to do it. If you are going to be my student, you have to accept that challenge, but not yet."

Haruka cocked her head. "Why not yet?" she asked, "If I am going to take him on, I might as well do it now."

Ranma shot her a wicked grin. "Two reasons." She said, holding up two fingers. "One: You need to be trained a little before you can take on someone better then Akane with any hope of winning, and Two: I want to take this Kuno guy on myself first."

Haruka thought it over for a moment and then nodded. "I suppose that makes sense." She said, "Tell you what; I am going to go change. You wait here for your hot water."

Haruka hurried off into one of the empty exam rooms to change.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

A startled scream brought Akane running back into the waiting room, kettle in tow. She could not help but giggle when she saw a wide-eyed Ranma hanging from the door, staring at Dr. Tofu, who was smiling at the purple haired girl and gesturing with the arms of a medical training skeleton as though the skeleton was waving.

"I am sorry Miss," the Doctor said, "Betty does love to sneak up on people."

A sudden crash came from one of the nearby exam rooms. Turning as one, Akane, Ranma and Tofu rushed to see what had happened. Akane was first through the door and immediately took in the scene. "Haruka!" she cried, spotting her love kneeling on the floor with her pant legs only partially on and tangled around her legs, obviously having tripped her up as she had attempted to move to find out what Ranma had screamed about.

The cause of concern, though, was not Haruka's state of undress, but a number of bleeding wounds on her left arm from where she had clearly fallen on a tray of sharp medical implements- some of which were still impaled in the blonde's arm.

Dr. Tofu immediately moved to Haruka's side and began attempting to treat the wounds. "Oh, dear, Miss Tenoh," he said, "You seem to have hurt yourself rather badly."

Haruka merely hissed in pain.

He looked up at Ranma and Akane. "This is likely to take some time." He said. "You two should probably get to school."

Akane did not want to leave Haruka, but she did not want to be late for school either.

The choice was taken from her as Ranma knelt beside Haruka. "I've got this, Doc." She said, holding her hands out over the injury. "Hold still, Ruka-chan." A soft light began to emanate from Ranma's hands and wash over the wounds. In moments, the cuts began to close, and those that had implements still in them disgorged them. In under a minute, the wounds were gone completely, leaving not a scar to show that they had ever been.

Akane and Haruka looked on in awe, and Dr Tofu watched in intrigued silence until the healing was finished. Tofu was first to speak. "That is quite a gift, Miss…?"

"Ranma Saotome." The girl replied. "We ain't got time to get into it right now. Gonna be late."

With that Ranma grabbed both of the other girls by their hands and pulled them out the door, snagging the kettle as she went, barely giving Haruka time to pull her clothes the rest of the way on.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Nabiki waited patiently for the arrival of her sister and Ranma in her vantage point on the third floor of Furinkan High. She had decided not to leak info on the engagement to the school yet, but when the pigtailed boy arrived alongside her sister, it would not go unnoticed. She had already set up her agents to direct questions to her so that she could answer them… for a nominal fee, of course. Haruka was, however, the main attraction that morning.

Instead of his usual position in the tree behind the hentai horde, Kuno stood at their head, awaiting his duel with the blonde. It seemed that he still had yet to learn the truth about Haruka's gender. He also, by all reports, had been standing there since well before dawn.

The Rest of Akane's usual challengers stood ready to charge at Akane again the moment the lucky upstart was dealt with. Indeed, the bios that Nabiki had drawn up for Haruka were selling rather well, even though she had deliberately glossed over the girl's gender. Even so, the general consensus was that Haruka's win over Akane had been a fluke and Kuno would thrash her. There were those that honestly believed that by defeating Akane, the blonde "boy" had proven "himself" capable of beating Kuno, but their numbers were very low.

Nabiki herself, however, had hedged her bets. She had seen Ranma's spar that morning with his father and determined that not only was the pigtailed boy far out of her sisters league as a fighter, he would likely defeat the "Blazing Comet of Furinkan High". She also believed that Ranma would move to take on Kuno in Haruka's stead, given His "Sensei" status. As such, when she was creating the betting pools for the fight, she built in an option for another fighter to step in and win.

Nabiki grinned when she finally spotted them coming, and realized that Ranma was pulling both Akane and Haruka by the hand. There was no way Kuno was going to let that slide. Nabiki sat back and waited for the fireworks to start.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

High above, a shape was silhouetted against the sun as it rose over Furinkan. He watched as the three martial artists moved toward the gates with a faint smile on his face. Indeed, if the events of this day occurred in the manner that he had foreseen, then the Senshi of Destruction would soon rise, and the world itself would hang in the balance.

He turned, the staff of time appearing in his hand as a portal opened before him, revealing the polished mask in place over his features, and the stylized symbol of Pluto at its center.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Somewhere outside of time, Setsuna Meioh's jaw dropped. She turned to glare at her companion before stepping directly up to him, stopping less than an inch from his face. "Just what the Hell was THAT?" She demanded, attempting to kill him with the sheer force of her gaze.

Skye Silverwing just smirked. "You didn't actually expect me to let YOU interfere directly in this, did you?" he replied. "Given the nature of our bet, you are lucky I am going to let you continue to guard the Gates."

Pluto glowered at him icily. "Are you accusing me of plotting to cheat?" she asked. Of course, she HAD been, but that was beside the point.

Skye smiled back at her. "Oh, I would never do that." He said calmly, "I just figured I would remove the temptation, and at the same time, free you up to watch me win the bet."

If it were at all possible, Pluto's glare would have gotten even icier. "I will watch IF you win, you jerk." She spat. Then she turned and stomped off.

Skye watched her walk away with a wry grin. "Don't worry, my dear," he said in a low voice, "you still have your own role yet to play in this little story."

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

A. N. Thanks for reading. This chapter was a bit tougher to write since the longer Haruka is in play the more she affects the story. Next time, expect a battle with Kuno, a Daimon Attack, and the Awakening of at least one outer Senshi. As always, I love constructive criticism: Tell me what you think, give me ideas and help me make the story better.


End file.
